Description

This route is on the Da Butts crag. This sits near to Asshole Rocks (see Cardiac Crack for more detailed approach info). To approach, go up 550 for 0.3 miles and park by the yellow "no motor vehicle" sign on the left. Walk up the closed road. At some point, you will come to a bluff where you can see the whole area (a-hole rocks, da butts, and the surrounding crags). It is best to get your bearings at this point, and head in the right direction. At some point, you veer right from the road, and might end up doing some bushwacking to get to any of the crags. At the view point described above, you will be looking at the back side of Da Butts. The side with most routes is on the opposite side of the approach.

Roll Dem Bones takes a nice line up the middle of Da Butts, and could be done as 2, or 3 pitches. We did it in 3 to avoid rope drag.

Pitch 1 (9+) is a nice widish hand crack that heads over a roof crack. The 5.9 section is just one series of moves through the roof, and the crack below it takes perfect #3 cams. Not too sustained. We belayed on a ledge about 15-20 feet past the roof. You could go past this to the next ledge if you used more long slings than I did, or did the 5.7 start. The belay at this ledge was awkward to set up (extended pieces in a horizontal a few feet up). You can do a 5.7 starting pitch to this climb called "Ho De Do" about 10 feet to the right (1 bolt).

Picth 2 (5.7) goes up a left leaning crack (small pro helpful) to the next prominant ledge with two rap rings. You can rap here, or go all the way to the summit and walk off.

Picth 3 (5.7+) was really fun. It starts with a short wide section, then lie-backs through a undercling, and flake. Run it to the top, and walk off left.

The crag has some other really nice 5.9, and 10 cracks, and an awesome looking 5.11 dihedral (soon to be reported) called Showcase looms on a rock adjacent to Da Butts. Climb on!

Protection

Standard rack. The crux takes a bomber #4 cam. You could use a 2, or 3 instead but it would be a little further down, and not as good. Nuts and TCUs helpful on 2nd half. 2 ropes if rapping off.

I almost gave this one 3 stars. The only reason for stripping a star was that the 5.9 crack section was so short on such a long route. Although, the secluded area, and solid granite with beautiful cracks, makes this a 3-star crag in my mind. So, maybe 2.5 stars or something??

This route description makes the same minor error we did today, adding the second (very clean and very fun) second pitch of Ho De Do to Roll Dem Bones. However, the authoritative guidebook released earlier this year from Fixed Pin (don't climb here without it) makes it clear that Roll goes up the left-facing corner to the east for the second pitch. Traverse about 15 right at the first belay, set your gear high in the crack with a long sling, ignore the lichen, jam, stem, grunt and groan up that sweet corner. (It's in need of cleaning, so it feels like a first ascent.) It keeps the grade at 9 with another short, bulgy crux followed by easy jamming and welcomes all your hand sized gear. (After realizing our error, we combined Ho De Do P1 with second pitch of Roll, no style points deduction.)